The Supreme Soviet (Верховный Совет, Verhovniy Sovet, literally the "Supreme Council") comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. It elected the Presidium, formed the Supreme Court, and appointed the Procurator General of the USSR. Before the 1936 Soviet Constitution it was known as Central Executive Committee (Центральный Исполнительный Комитет, or ЦИК). Its prototype (before the creation of the Soviet Union) was All-Russian Central Executive Committee (Всероссийский Центральный Исполнительный Комитет or ВЦИК).
The Supreme Soviet was made up of two chambers, each with equal legislative powers, with members elected for five-year terms:
the Soviet of the Union, elected on the basis of population with one deputy for every 300,000 people in the Soviet federation
In 1989 there were 750 members in each chamber. The Supreme Soviet met regularly twice a year but it could be called into extraordinary session. The Presidium carried out the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Soviet when it was not in session.
In practice, the Supreme Soviet functioned as a rubber stamp to legislation originating from less representative but more powerful bodies, like the Politburo.
Each republic of the Soviet Union also had its own Supreme Soviet, a one-chamber legislature functioning along similar lines.
The Supreme Soviet officially dissolved the USSR and itself on December 26, 1991. After the dissolution of USSR, the Supreme Soviets of republics of the Soviet Union became the legislatures of independent countries. The Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR and the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian SFSR were the legislature of Russia until being dissolved during the 1993 constitutional crisis.
The Presidium of the SupremeSoviet of the USSR promulgates decrees and adopts decisions.
The Council of Minister of the USSR shall be responsible and accountable to the SupremeSoviet of the USSR and, between sessions of the SupremeSoviet of the USSR, to the Presidium of the SupremeSoviet of the USSR.
The Procurator-General of the USSR is appointed by the SupremeSoviet of the USSR and is responsible and accountable to it and, between sessions of the SupremeSoviet, to the Presidium of the SupremeSoviet of the USSR.
The Soviet state is organized and functions on the principle of democratic centralism, namely the electiveness of all bodies of state authority from the lowest to the highest, their accountability to the people, and the obligation of lower bodies to observe the decisions of higher ones.
Supreme power of supervision over the strict and uniform observance of laws by all ministries, state committees and departments, enterprises, institutions and organizations, executive-administrative bodies of local Soviets of People's Deputies, collective farms, co-operatives and other public organizations, officials and citizens is vested in the Procurator-General of the USSR and procurators subordinate to him.
The Constitution of the USSR may be amended by a decision of the SupremeSoviet of the USSR adopted by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Deputies of each of its chambers.
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